I think a dynamic component could be developed where you input the height length and width and it makes the crate. It would have “rules” as to how it adds structural members.
Hi Ivan – our software does that exactly but it doesn’t do it with the images. What are you thinking? WIth SketchUP or other software?
I did watch your video. I guess im not sure what the whole picture is. Are you just looking for images to show in the software or are you manufacturing and need specific cut lists for each order. In the newer versions of Sketchup you can develop a Dynamic component that has a dialog box where you enter a few parameters and it can create the whole assembly. Then you could pull reports or use a extension like open cutlist to output accurate list of the parts to assemble that order. Or just generate a shop drawing in layout. I see your software as an order interface. What happens after that. Does someone with a calculator then manually create the cut list? The options would depend on your needs.
Hi Ivan – my software generates detailed cut lists, costs and selling prices in seconds as well as giving users the abilty to print out quotes and invoices. It also offers managing the entire crating process from quoting to shipping, plus much more. The only thing currently is that it doesn’t generate dynamic images that match the cut lists. The cut lists are detailed and text based in a format to minimize time for sawyers and assemblers. Brief Intro to Crate Pro Design
It can export into several flat file formats a lot of data. Under almost every field visible to the user are complex calculations that feed other calculations in other parts of the program, so it can’t import data.
There are over 400 different construction styles in Crate Pro 6 to meet many different international crating standards which start the design process. Crate Pro designs and costs crates based the construction style and looks at hundreds of customer specific settings to complete that construction. My fear is that even with a Dynamic component, the customer may have to make many changes to get the layout correct to match their unique preferences. However, this could be faster to create the layout and print it out than what they’r currently doing.
Will you direct me to more information on the Dynamic component that offers the ‘dummies’ version? I don’t really use SketchUP, hence I’m the best person to create instructions for our customers starting to use it for their crates.
Thanks!
I dont think you can incorporate Sketchup into you software. Each user would have to have a copy of sketchup. Sketchup does have its own programming language for devolopers to write custom plugins as overlays for sketchup but it still requires sketchup. If your interested in dynamic components you need to update to a recent version of skechup. You can download a trial version. As for a guide to dynamic components there are very good youtube videos you can watch. It sounds like sketchup can be used to generate the generic png graphic files to add to your software but a real image would have to be coded into the software.
Thanks – At some point in the future I think we’ll have something that the software will generate. But there are some very specific questions based on crate styles that have complex construction configurations to make this work.
For now, it needs to be a manual process for those that need it and generally its a 5 minute process. I’ll take the advice everyone has provided and make this work for now.
THANKS SO MUCH
@DaveR Thank SO much – it looks like I’ve been grabbing the wrong area of the panel. Using the house icon the angles the panel - selecting the entire panel - and ensuring I get between the two green handles works exactly as we need.
Some assembly staff only look at the image provided and not the generated cut lists which have the actual counts. Most companies don’t require such specifics but there are enough that I thought including this instruction would be very beneficial to those that do need it
I didn’t realize how much info I would learn from everyone - especially you! This image above seems to have resolved my issue.
THANK YOU
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